🐄 Top 3 most common misconceptions about the leather industry

Some things manage to get through the thickest skins.

Whether you’ve been following us only for a few weeks or since the beginning, you’re probably aware that we are deeply committed to the values that define our brand. But being a company that proudly displays its convictions also means feeding the critics. Thus, we are regularly subject to the same reproaches: vegan fashion isn’t necessarily ecological, leather has a better life expectancy (once dead!) than plastic, or even that it comes from the same animals we eat. As herbivores, we're prone to ruminate, but sometimes it's better to set things straight.

Before I start, keep in mind as an extra precaution that veganism (here is the Wikipedia definition for those at the back of the class who didn’t do their homework) is neither a fad nor a business opportunity. It is a life choice in the broadest sense of the word. It entails producing while respecting all living beings.

No animal was mistreated during this photoshoot.

So, without further ado, please welcome our…

🏆 TOP 3 of the most frequent criticisms we get, followed by our responses.

🥇 1 • plastic isn’t an ecological material

First, there is plastic and plastic. The one we use in our shoes is polyurethane (PU) coated canvas. It is made in Italy or Spain with no CO2 emissions and it’s guaranteed by the OEKO-TEX 100 label. It is a material well-known for its strength, elasticity and finesse; far removed from the poor-quality PVC imported from overseas. And if you want to limit your consumption of petrochemicals, we offer shoes made with Piñatex, also known as pineapple leather, which contains only water-based fibers and PU. This material has been tested by the Independent Institute for Leather and Synthetic Leather in Germany and its analysis has concluded that it’s as resistant to repetitive load and creasing as animal leather, as shown in this Arte documentary. There are also other plant or fruit-based materials; to reread our analysis on this subject, come this way.

🥈 2 • leather is a more ecological material than plastic

Surprise! Animal leather isn’t eco-friendly at all! Although it appears to be a “natural” material, the chemical treatment of the skins is very polluting and causes considerable harm to the planet, as well as to workers in this industry. In tanning factories mainly located on the Indian peninsula, they often work without protection. This also fails to take into account the ecological footprint of the transport of these skins and that of raising the animals from which they are taken (it represents 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the world and is a major responsible for deforestation). Which brings us to the next point...

🥉 3 • the leather used for the shoes comes from animals raised for their flesh

Are you pleased with the gradual disappearance of fur from the fashion industry? Great news: leather is the same thing, minus the hair. In addition, this cruel industry has no limits and preys on cows as well as pigs and cats. Of course, the footwear you can find in megastores is certainly made from the skins of animals that were eaten. However, they certainly didn’t come from those cows people in first-world countries eat at noon: they come mostly from China, India or Brazil. More information on this point in PETA’s website.

As we’ve been long committed to the protection of animals and workers, we wanted our company, humble as it might be, to be a reflection of our militant choices in our “civil” life. Our goal is to ban the exploitation and killing of animals –of all species– from our lives. But we also think about the planet when choosing materials. There is no such thing as a neutral product, but by making our shoes from materials whose origin and design are controlled and cause as little damage as possible, we uphold our commitment to all those who may suffer.

If these answers seem convincing to you, visit our online shop!